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06/13/17 Damian an Clair is the new Head of the Hourglass

06/01/17 Nathaniel Troy is stepping down from Amelia, Persis Kersin will be the new ruler.

Author
Topic: [SUMMER 2017] Learn Me Right (Read 832 times)

Healer

In a couple of days, it would be Lucy's birthday and as their present to her, Hrodi and Nate had gotten someone to give her a horseback riding lesson. She felt giddy and nervous as she walked towards the stable, holding Hrodi's arm as he escorted her out to the stable at the appointed time. Her blonde hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and Hrodi had specified that she should wear comfortable trousers as well as boots with a short heel on them so that her feet didn't slip through the stirrups. Thankfully she had both and didn't need to go out and buy something new.

She had never been around horses this close before. She'd seen them pulling carriages in the streets, of course, but the ones out in the pastures seemed like they were bigger than those. Or maybe it was just because now she was paying closer attention to them.

"Are you sure Prince Troy has time for this?" Lucy asked for what she thought was probably the fifth time already. Hrodi sighed. Maybe it was the sixth. "I mean, he's a Troy, so he must have plenty of work to do, right?"

"He has time for this." Hrodi replied. "He agreed to it when Nate and I asked him." She could hear the restraint and forced patience in Hrodi's voice and reached over and poked his side. He grunted as if it had hurt and she huffed at him, but let the subject drop as they walked into the stable.

"Wow, this place is-" her sentence was cut off with a startled squeak when a horse suddenly stuck his head out of a stall into the aisle. Lucy gawked at him and he made a nickering sound at them. The horse's nostrils widened and he gently blew air out his nose. Lucy wasn't sure what any of the sounds meant, but Hrodi seemed unconcerned so she figured it must be fine.

*Prince Troy,* Hrodi called to Chance while Lucy continued to stare at the horse, *we are in the stable whenever you are ready.*

Prince

“I wouldn’t have thought you had time for much of anything these days.” His stable manager, Rein, pointed out as Chance sat comfortably watching his nephews ride their ponies around the indoor ring. Rolling his shoulders back, he gave the other man a careless grin. “I’ve been official Ruler for all of three months, don’t you think I need a break from it all?” He asked, not expecting an answer and so wasn’t surprised not to get one. Rolling his shoulders again, he looked away in time to beam at the two little boys. “I need this Rein. I need something more than paperwork about the district or paperwork about the horses to distract me. It’s all over the house and it haunts me.” The smile stayed on his lips, but it wasn’t the same smile he had just given the two little boys.

It had been over a month since Sibylla had decided to leave his house, him, and return home. In another month she would have been living with him for over a year. It hurt. He would have firmly stood his ground to keep her, no matter what those fucking Herondale’s said or done. Even when it all threatened to tie him up by his wrists and ankles. Clearly, she hadn’t felt the same. He had tried to numb the hurt by doing paperwork. With his nephews in his care, Chance didn’t dare drink. He was too dark to get mind numbingly drunk either way. But enough was enough. So when Nate and Hrodi asked if he would give private horseback riding lessons, Chance agreed more for his sake than the female.

Wisely, Rein didn’t comment on Chance’s words. Sibylla wasn’t a touchy subject so she was mentioned, but more in the way of someone who was a guest. “Besides, they should be here soo- ”

The spear thread message stopped his next words. *I will be there in a few moments. I’m at the other end.* He told the other man before looking at his manager. With a promise to keep an eye on the boys, Chance rose and headed in the direction of where the stallions were kept, following the faint pulsing of the Gray. The stable had more than one entrance for practical reasons and there were wards to alert those working when someone arrived. However, Hrodi was a friend and wore the Gray. Wearing the latter, no one on his staff was going to stop him from entering. The former meant no one immediately reported him to Chance. Entering where the stallions were housed also told Chance which direction Hrodi and his guest had come from.

Sure enough, it didn't take any longer than ten minutes for Chance to reach where his guests stood waiting. On seeing them, Chance smile a welcoming smile taking in the view of the unfamiliar female in a curiously detached way. By the time he reached them both, his attention was on Hrodi, aware of the unspoken body gestures. “Welcome, welcome, I thought for sure the next time you would show up Hrodi was because Nate had dragged you here.” Teasing in the light way that only he could get away with by being a Prince. His blueish-silver eyes turned to the blonde haired woman at his side. “And who is your relation? Welcome Lady, I am Chance Troy.” One of the stallion’s huffed reaching out for her. “You would like her wouldn’t you Clyde. Behave and act your age. And this lover boy here is Clyde and no, you won't be riding him.”

Healer

Lucy was still staring at the horse when Chance arrived. She turned and stood even with Hrodi, slipping her hand into his. Unused to others except for Nate teasing Hrodi, Lucy was a bit surprised that Chance did so, but Hrodi smiled.

"Not for lack of trying," Hrodi commented. Lucy wasn't sure why he would resist coming to a place like this. There were so many horses! But Hrodi didn't seem to like horses all that much, so it made sense that he wouldn't be enamored with the stable. "This is Lucy Benton," Hrodi introduced her. She stepped forward and bowed as protocol dictated, then looked over at the horse that was apparently named Clyde. She smiled at him, although the expression fell when Chance informed her that she wouldn't be riding him.

"Why not?" Lucy asked curiously. Nothing seemed to be wrong with the horse, but maybe it was because she hadn't ridden before. Apparently there were horses that were good for beginners and ones that weren't, or so she had been told.

"Nate is waiting for me, so I'm going to head back up to the house," Hrodi said before Chance could answer. He wrapped an arm around Lucy's shoulders to give her a squeeze and nodded once to Chance. His eyes hardened for a moment; Lucy was his Healer and he expected her to be taken care of. But also... *Don't let her boss you around,* Hrodi told Chance over a private thread with humor in the tone. *She's sneaky about it. She'll have you jumping before you know what's happening.* Lucy looked over at him and frowned.

"What are you telling him, Hrodi?" She thwapped his shoulder, then crossed her arms. "I know that look! It's the one that means you're talking to him on a thread." There was laughter in her voice, though. Hrodi simply gave her an innocent look before heading out of the stable. Lucy huffed at him before turning back to Chance with a smile.